VA Disability Rating for Dermatitis
Many veterans have developed dermatitis or other skin conditions from exposure to toxic chemicals or environmental conditions during their service. While dermatitis may not sound serious, it can be disfiguring, require costly treatments, and limit a veteran’s activities and ability to work.
If you have developed dermatitis due to your service and the condition interferes with your daily life, you may be eligible for disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA rating for skin conditions ranges from 0 to 60 percent, depending on the severity, the extent of the body affected, and the treatment required. Veterans Guide can help you apply for benefits or increase your VA rating for dermatitis to the full 60 percent rating to get the compensation you deserve.
What Is Dermatitis?
Dermatitis is a general term for skin inflammation, such as rashes, scaly patches, and itching or burning skin. There are several types of dermatitis, including the following:
- Atopic dermatitis: Sometimes called eczema, this is long-term skin inflammation that can result in patches of itchy, cracked, or red skin.
- Contact dermatitis: This condition results from direct skin exposure to an irritant, such as a plant or a chemical. It can be acute or chronic.
- Seborrheic dermatitis: Symptoms of this condition include patches of flaky, greasy, or irritated skin. It can result from poor nutrition, fungal or bacterial infection, or immune deficiencies.
While many cases of dermatitis clear up over time, others are chronic and can have a real impact on your life. Depending on which areas of your body dermatitis affects, you may find standing, walking, or working with your hands difficult. You may also see your concentration affected by persistent itching and pain.
Causes of dermatitis you may have encountered during your service include exposure to toxic chemicals and environmental irritants. Dermatitis can also be secondary to other conditions you may have acquired during your service.
VA Disability Ratings for Dermatitis
The VA assesses dermatitis using diagnostic code 7806, which incorporates the general rating formula for skin conditions. The rating depends on the percentage of your body affected by the condition, the type of treatments you undergo, and the duration or frequency of those treatments.
If you have multiple disabling conditions, the VA will rate each separately and assign a combined VA disability rating.
Once the VA determines your disability rating, it calculates your monthly payments using the rating chart. Your marital status, the number of children you have, and whether you have dependent parents also affect the payment you receive.
Ratings Table for Dermatitis VA Disability Claims
| Rating | Symptoms | Monthly Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | Only topical treatments used within the last 12 months, with skin lesions affecting either less than 5% of the total body area or less than 5% of exposed skin areas. | None |
| 10% |
Skin lesions covering at least 5% but less than 20% of the total body or visible areas; OR
Occasional use of systemic treatments, such as corticosteroids, biologics, retinoids, or light therapies like phototherapy or psoralen with UVA light, for less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months. |
$175.51 |
| 30% |
Skin lesions affecting between 20% and 40% of the total body or visible areas; OR
The use of systemic treatments, such as corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, biologics, retinoids, or light-based therapies like phototherapy or psoralen with UVA light, for a total of at least 6 weeks during the past year, although not continuously. |
$537.42 |
| 60% |
Skin lesions that cover over 40% of the entire body or more than 40% of visible areas; OR
The condition requires ongoing or nearly continuous systemic treatment, such as corticosteroids, biologics, retinoids, immunosuppressants, phototherapy, or psoralen with UVA light, for 12 months or more. |
$1,395.93 |
How To Increase Your VA Rating for Dermatitis
To increase your disability rating, you must demonstrate the severity of your dermatitis to the VA. Skin conditions can have variable symptoms, so good documentation is key. Your medical evidence should be as complete as possible. The more evidence you can provide showing your dermatitis prevents you from performing everyday tasks or maintaining gainful employment, the more likely you will receive a higher disability rating.
Track Flare-Ups and Document Symptoms
Dermatitis can be a highly variable condition, meaning flare-ups may alternate with periods of relative relief. Showing how bad your symptoms get during these flare-ups can help demonstrate your disability and increase your eczema VA rating.
Consider keeping a journal where you briefly record symptoms and their functional impact on your life. If standing, sitting, or performing certain activities is painful, write that information down. You can also include photos of your rashes, documentation of treatments, and notes from your dermatologist.
Bring your symptom journal to your doctor’s appointments. Additional information may help them develop a better treatment plan for you.
Emphasize Systemic Treatment Use
Initial treatments for dermatitis include lifestyle changes and topical creams. If those don’t help, doctors may prescribe systemic treatments. These can include steroids, JAK inhibitors, immunosuppressants, biologics, and light-based treatments such as phototherapy.
If you only use topical treatments for your dermatitis, you may find it difficult to receive a high disability rating. Talk to your dermatologist about starting systemic therapy and document your response to the treatments you try.
Get a Nexus Letter or Medical Opinion
Tying your dermatitis to your service can be tricky, especially if it has worsened over time or is secondary to another condition. A nexus letter is a statement from a doctor linking your condition directly to your military service. A nexus letter can be key to raising your VA rating, but denials of claims with nexus letters are common, too.
If possible, make sure the doctor submitting your letter has expertise in dermatology. Insufficient medical evidence is another reason for rejection, so provide your doctor with as much documentation as possible about your dermatitis.
A qualified VA attorney can help you determine if a new nexus letter will help your case and put you in touch with medical specialists.
Appeal a Low Rating
Many veterans with dermatitis initially receive 0 or 10 percent disability ratings, even when their condition justifies a higher rating. You have the right to appeal your VA disability rating, but you’ll want to make sure your case is as strong as possible before proceeding.
Veterans Guide can assist you with both gathering evidence and filing your appeal. Our compassionate and knowledgeable staff can help you navigate the VA bureaucracy to get the disability benefits you’ve earned.
Raise Your VA Disability Rating
Can Dermatitis Be a Secondary Condition?
Veterans with dermatitis may be eligible for compensation if their condition is secondary to another service-connected condition. For instance, you may receive payments if your dermatitis is a side effect of medication you take for service-related PTSD.
Dermatitis may also lead to secondary conditions such as infections or scarring. While dermatitis doesn’t cause scarring on its own, scratching itchy patches may lead to scars and changes in your skin pigmentation.
Bacteria, viruses, and fungi can attack patches of broken skin, resulting in increased itchiness and pain. If the infection goes untreated, it may spread and cause additional issues like fever or flu-like symptoms.
Whatever conditions are secondary to your dermatitis, you can receive additional compensation if those conditions are disabling. A VA attorney will help you file a claim that addresses all your disabling medical conditions.
Need Help With a Dermatitis VA Claim or Appeal?
Veterans and advocates founded Veterans Guide to help make accessing VA benefits easier. You’ve earned these benefits through your service—let our dedicated team help you make the most of them.
Whether you’re looking for help appealing a low rating, submitting new medical evidence, or adding secondary conditions, we’re here to cut through the red tape and give you clear information without the jargon. We’ve helped thousands of veterans raise their VA disability rating and access the money they need to make the most of life.
If you have developed dermatitis due to your military service, Veterans Guide can help you file a disability claim or appeal a denial. Contact us today to take the first step.
Dermatitis FAQs
Below are answers to some common questions we receive from veterans about dermatitis. Have a question that’s not listed? Contact us to learn more.
Does Dermatitis Always Qualify for VA Disability?
No, dermatitis only qualifies for a disability rating if you have lesions on 5 percent or more of your body or receive systemic treatments at least occasionally.
Can You Get 100% for Dermatitis?
No, the maximum disability rating you can receive for dermatitis is 60 percent. However, if you have multiple service-connected conditions, the VA will calculate a combined VA disability rating, which could reach 100 percent.
What Qualifies as Systemic Treatment?
Systemic treatment refers to any non-topical treatment for dermatitis. This includes oral medication, injections, and treatments such as phototherapy.
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